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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26292925">rogue's redemption</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/seimaisin/pseuds/seimaisin'>seimaisin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Fairest Lily [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XIV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comedy, Eventual Romance, F/M, Flirting, Romance Novel, Temporarily Unrequited Love, Unresolved Sexual Tension</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:22:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,137</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26292925</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/seimaisin/pseuds/seimaisin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Set post 5.3, but only vague spoilers here. </p><p>  <i>"Hey, I'm not arguing - follow your bliss, whatever kind of bliss Bountiful delivers to you that somehow includes naked Roegadyn pirates." </i></p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Warrior of Light/Thancred Waters</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Fairest Lily [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1909072</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Emet-Selch's Wholesomely Debauched Bookclub FFXIV-Writes 2020 Collection</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>rogue's redemption</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It's funny, being at the Rising Stones nowadays feels a bit like the first time he went back to Limsa, Thancred thinks - it feels like home, but somehow at a remove. It hasn't changed, but he has, more than he sometimes wants to admit. But it's still home all the same, and there's a sense of warmth that settles over him when he walks through the doors.</p><p>… or, perhaps that warmth is from seeing Lily sitting on the small sofa Tataru recently acquired, stocking feet curled beneath her as she concentrates on a small paperback book. Gods, he's ridiculous when it comes to her, and he knows it. He'll never forget the feeling when he saw her for the first time in more than five years, there on the First - it was like a physical blow to the chest, answering the question of whether he'd managed to get over her in his absence. If that hadn't done it, nothing will, and honestly he's still figuring out how to deal with that. </p><p>But, Thancred thinks with a small grin, he is nothing if not a masochist, in so many ways. So he cheerfully heads over to the sofa and sits beside her. "Good afternoon, what are you reading?" It's certainly not one of the tomes Urianger and G'raha have been pouring over, those are all hard-bound and the side of small boulders. </p><p>Lily practically jumps at his voice, as if she hadn't noticed him sit down inches away. "Gods, Thancred, don't scare me like that!"</p><p>"I … didn't think I would?" It's odd, her cheeks are far more flushed than the temperature would indicate. "You were off in your own world, weren't you?"</p><p>"Yes, I suppose …" </p><p>Lily grabs a bookmark from the table beside her and closes the book, which finally gives Thancred a chance to peek at the cover. It's … very purple. And the large Roegadyn on the cover appears to be naked, naughty bits covered only by the blowing pink dress worn by the Au Ra woman he's holding firmly against his chest. Thancred blinks for a moment, processing this scene, but before he can notice more than the author's name, Lily has snatched the book away and shoved it between her legs and the arm of the couch. "Bountiful Hornblower?" Thancred asks, an incredulous smile creeping across his face.</p><p>Her chin rises in defiance. "They're a very good author," she says haughtily. </p><p>"I'm sure." Thancred reaches across her lap, but she's gotten quick - or he's getting old and slow, which might be the more likely explanation. She slaps his hand away, scowling at him. "It certainly looked entertaining."</p><p>"It's great. And you can't have it." </p><p>"I'm not sure it's my kind of reading, anyway."</p><p>"Your loss," Lily sniffs, and he can't contain the chuckle that escapes. He can't help himself, he's absolutely enamoured of the spots of pink that blaze on her cheekbones, contrasting with the look of pure murder she's shooting him right now. He may die in a moment or two, but at least his last sight will be lovely. "Stop laughing at me, not everything we read has to be some kind of treatise on ancient Allagan technology."</p><p>He holds his hands up. "Hey, I'm not arguing - follow your bliss, whatever kind of bliss Bountiful delivers to you that somehow includes naked Roegadyn pirates." </p><p>Thancred is pretty sure his imminent death is only prevented by Krile's entrance. But maybe not - Lily shoots him a sly glance before calling out, "Hey Krile, I brought back a copy of <i>Rogue's Redemption</i>."</p><p>Krile actually claps - has Thancred ever seen her clap with joy before? He's not sure, but he does now. "Gods, I've been waiting for that one. It's Mina's story, right? Tell me it's Mina's story."</p><p>"It's Mina and the captain of the Sudden Scorn. I didn't think he'd actually be one of the heroes, but it's working really well."</p><p>Krile's eyes go wide. "They're redeeming him? I guess it's in the title, but … I'm first in line to read it after you, right?" </p><p>"Of course." Lily throws him another brief, inscrutable look before continuing. "They're certainly continuing with the -" she coughs, "- rope themes in this one."</p><p>"<i>Ohhhhhhhh</i>." Krile starts to grin, then looks at Thancred and fixes him with a look that usually inspires terror in some of the younger Scions. "What are you looking at?"</p><p>"Absolutely nothing," he promises. But he can't quite help himself. "But I am curious about this rope theme."</p><p>"If you want to read it," Krile says primly, "you'll have to get in line. Tataru and Urianger are before you for sure."</p><p>Krile walks away before he can question that - and honestly, he's not going to. But he does turn back to Lily and raise an eyebrow. "The good captain of the Sudden Scorn is good with knots, I take it? " No, he did not miss the implication, and dammit, if he's going to sit here with suddenly slightly tight trousers, he's going to make her pay for it. </p><p>"He's good with a great many things," Lily says. "You'd have to read it to find out."</p><p>"Hmmm, maybe I will." Gods, he shouldn't be curious about what kind of content would put that flush in her cheeks, but fuck, he can't not know, either. He does have enough self-preservation, however, to swallow the only half-joking offer to show her what he learned about ropes during his time with the Rogue's Guild. The last thing he needs today is the mental image of Lily bound and naked … <i>fuck.</i> </p><p>Despite his slightly flustered physical state, he manages to stand up smoothly. "Fine, add me to your book club, I want to see this." </p><p>"If you're doing it to laugh at us, I'm going to sic Tataru on you."</p><p>"Trust me, I am sufficiently scared of all three of you together. Not Urianger, though, he'll probably just tell me the history of bondage in Vylbrand."</p><p>Lily's smile is as innocent as she can manage right now, he figures. "You would be surprised." Thancred has to swallow a surprising jolt of jealousy at that - no, it's not his business how Lily might know of Urianger's interest in bondage, it is absolutely one hundred percent not his business. Nope. "But I'll make sure he gives you the book when he's done."</p><p>She grabs the book again and opens it back up, signaling the end of her attention to him. Thancred makes his way over to the back of the room to see if anyone is up for some sparring - he needs to work off some unwanted energy now. But when he glances back over to see Lily biting her lip as she turns a page, he knows he's sacrificed any concentration he might have for the day. "You did it to yourself," he mutters.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>For the <a href="https://ffxiv-write.carrd.co/">FFXIV Write</a> prompt "clinch" - I have been a romance novel enthusiast too long to not immediately think 80s-era Fabio book covers, y'all.</p><p>Love to the <a href="https://discord.gg/enabling-debauched-xivfic">book club</a> for helping me name Bountiful Hornblower.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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